In our copending application Ser. No. 101,567, filed Dec. 10, 1979, a device and method were provided for the application of liquid contact herbicides to undesirable plants. While the apparatus illustrated in said application Ser. No. 101,567, filed Dec. 10, 1979 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein) is eminently suited for the application of liquid contact herbicides to undesirable plants. The structure is more sophisticated than is necessary for some uses. For instances, where professional farmers are to be applying the herbicide, there may be no real necessity for utilizing a metering valve structure such as illustrated in said application Ser. No. 101,567.
According to the present invention a liquid applicator device and a method of utilization thereof are provided that are simpler yet can function effectively to safely apply herbicide to plants to be destroyed while positively preventing application to crop plants. According to one broad aspect according to the present invention, a liquid applicator device is provided which comprises a container elongated along an axis and having a first, closed end and a second end including means defining an opening therein. The device further comprises a roller elongated along an axis and having fibrous covering means for receiving liquid from the container and for ultimately transferring the liquid to another object, and having a cross-sectional area (including the covering means) smaller than the inside cross-sectional area of the container and smaller than the opening in the container second end. The roller includes a handle extending from one end thereof. Means are operatively associated with the roller for closing the opening in the container second end when the roller is in the container, and means are provided for mounting the roller within the container for rotation with respect to the container with the axis of the roller and the container coincident.
According to the specific preferred embodiment of the liquid applicator device of the invention, the first, closed end includes no valve opening or the like, but provides a surface cooperating with a surface formed on the roller end opposite the handle for facilitating the rotation of the roller with respect to the container. The rotational mounting means further comprise cooperating lips associated with the means defining the opening in the container second end and the means for closing that opening. Means are also provided mounted within the container for effecting distribution of liquid within the container onto the roller fibrous covering means. Such distribution effecting means preferably comprises a plurality of blades elongated in a direction parallel to the axis of the container, the blades each having an internal edge thereof which internal edges collectively define an opening having substantially the same cross-sectional area and shape as the roller, with means being provided for mounting the blades for rotation with the roller about the common axis, said rotational mounting means including a plurality of rings interconnecting the blades. One of the rings comprises a wiping ring excess liquid off the roller as the roller is withdrawn from the container, such ring being located adjacent the opening in the container second end.
According to another broad aspect of the present invention, a device is provided for holding a liquid and distributing liquid onto an article insertable therewithin and withdrawable therefrom. The device comprises a container elongated along an axis and substantially circular in cross-section with a first, closed end and a second end which includes means for defining an opening therein for insertion and withdrawal of the article into and from the container. A plurality of blades, elongated in a direction parallel to the axis of the container and mounted around the internal periphery of the container, are provided for rotation with respect to the container. The blades each have an internal edge thereof, which internal edges collectively define an open area that is circular in cross-section and concentric with the container. A plurality of rings interconnect the blades.
According to yet another broad aspect of the present invention, a method of destroying plants is provided. The method utilizes a liquid applicator device including a container elongated along an axis having a first, closed end and a second end with an opening therein; a roller with fibrous covering means, insertable and withdrawable into and from the container through the opening in the container second end, and having a handle extending from one end thereof; a closure structure operatively associated with the handle for closing the opening in the container second end when the roller is within the container; and structure for mounting the roller for coaxial rotation within the container. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Disposing liquid herbicide within the container so that it is partially filled with liquid. (b) Inserting the roller through the opening in the container second end until the closure structure closes the opening, with the handle sticking outwardly from the container. (c) Effecting relative rotation of the roller with respect to the container. (d) Removing the roller, with herbicide thereon, from the container by pulling on the handle and withdrawing the roller through the container second end opening. (e) Touching the roller covering means to plants that are desirably destroyed, so that herbicide is transferred from the roller to the plants to thereby result in destruction of the plants touched thereby; and (f) repeating steps (b) through (e) until desired plant destruction is completed, or until step (a) must be repeated.
The method according to the present invention may further be practiced utilizing a liquid applicator device which further includes a plurality of blades disposed within the internal periphery of the container and elongated in a direction parallel to the axis of the container and mounted for rotation therewithin. Then method step (c) is practiced by effecting relative rotation of the roller and the blades within the container for distribution of the herbicide onto the roller. The liquid applicator device may further include a plurality of rings holding the blades together, including a wiping ring located adjacent the opening in the container second end. Then step (d) is accomplished by effecting wiping of excess herbicide off of the roller with the wiping ring as the roller is withdrawn from the container.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective liquid applicator device, and method of utilization thereof for destroying plants. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.